"The Arundel Alternative"

Highways England, set up to think only about building big roads, wants to build a high speed dual carriageway across the Arun Valley watermeadows and through the South Downs National Park. 

This would destroy our countryside, wildlife, village communities, and local businesses.  It would create more traffic and carbon emissions.  There is an alternative - but it needs public support now.

The Arundel Alternative is an uninterrupted, 40mph, wide single carriageway road. It will flow. 

From the east, first of all, this route removes traffic light signals which cause holdups to the east, going straight through a remodelled Crossbush junction.  Access to Arundel and Lyminster is via existing roads.

The new road continues over a new rail bridge, and crucially, it bypasses 5 pinch points:

These 5 pinch points are:

1) Warningcamp junction;
2) rail station;
3) bus stops;
4) signal pedestrian crossing; and
5) Causeway roundabout, which cause holdups to the west at Chichester Road and Ford roundabout. 

The new road meets the existing route by Fitzalan Road junction. The river bridge is upgraded and Chichester Road has marginal (if any) widening. 

This route will Save Arundel's Countryside.  And it will deal with Arundel's periodic traffic queues - affordably and sustainably.

• Traffic flows when it does not meet blockages.  Single carriageway is not the problem and dualling is not the answer - look at Chichester.  Bypassing the blockages is what's needed. 
• Our wide single carriageway (WS2) not only bypasses the permanent pinch points; it also allows overtaking to bypass the blockages that occur when there is a breakdown or accident.  For examples see here and here. 
• The cost of this short bypass route would be less than any of the damaging, dual carriageway bypasses Highways England have suggested. 

Unlike Highways England's 70mph dual carriageway solutions, the Arundel Alternative doesn't take business away from Arundel, it doesn't wreck the National Park and Arun Valley countryside, or destroy tranquil ancient village, farm and wooded landscapes. 

Ford roundabout can also be improved

With two lanes, Ford roundabout (6) is comparable to other roundabouts along the A27 with some flow limitations, but it is not a key source of holdups. As a large space, there are several options for shaping the area to improve traffic flow and walking and cycling access. These may include:

Keeping the roundabout:

reconfiguring lane space would enable vehicles to leave at the A284 junction more easily. Restricting access at Maltravers Street junction would limit town through-traffic and improve roundabout flow. Walkways can be expanded around the roundabout and a footbridge provided across Chichester Road.

Remodelling for a through road: (see illustrative potential layout by City Infinity) where the new single carriageway continues across the junction with an underpass linking Ford Road and A284. The A27 would be raised less than a metre and space turned to a green area. Safe walking and cycle links through the underpass parallel the existing river-side pedestrian underpass.

What are the road traffic problems we need to solve?

1. Pinch points slow road traffic at busy times.
2. The road limits walking and cycling access at Arundel.
3. The bridge over the railway is narrow, dangerous and in poor repair.
4. Hold ups cause rat-running and air pollution in the town.

What's needed for a proportionate solution to those problems?

1. Stopping distances mean a 40mph single carriageway road will take similar numbers of vehicles to a 60mph dual carriageway and far more than 70mph.
2. A wide single carriageway road at Arundel will meet future needs based on actual traffic data rather than speculative traffic growth.
3. Hold ups at Arundel are due to interrupted flow arising from pinchpoints, such as signals at the station and Crossbush junction, not lack of capacity.
4. A27 congestion at Worthing is far worse than Arundel, but plans are to keep it as single carriageway. Arundel should not be considered in isolation.
5. The Climate and ecological emergency means we must not build bigger roads that create more traffic and more carbon emissions.

What does the Arundel Alternative offer to road users, communities and the environment?

1. Removes all interruptions for free flowing traffic on the A27.
2. Improves safety as wide single lanes provide visibility and access.
3. Cuts rat-running within Arundel.
4. Improves cycling and walking access across town and to the railway station, and easy car access for Burpham, Warningcamp and Crossbush.
5. Does not damage the South Downs National Park or its wildlife.
6. Minimises flood risk.
7. Does not damage villages and businesses or lose trade in Arundel.
8. Minimises new traffic and carbon emissions.
9. Is deliverable and could tie in public transport improvements.

Advantages of the Arundel Alternative

1. It keeps the road close to the town so people realise how beautiful it is.
2. With clear roads at all the exits of the Ford Road roundabout there will not be the present congestion.
3. It makes it easier to get to and from the station.
4. It reduces pollution in the Causeway area.
5. Access to local villages such as Burpham is improved dramatically.
6. The ancient Arundel railway bridge is no longer a weak link in the country’s road network.
7. The pedestrian controlled traffic lights on the A27 will no longer be stopping traffic and causing tailbacks through the Arun Valley.
8. It is far cheaper than the proposed dual carriageway options.
9. There is no loss of housing or woodland.
10. It slows down the traffic slightly on the A27 but will keep the flow steady through the corridor.
11. No loss of visual amenity in the Arun Valley.

Better connectivity

An underpass near the foot of Hospital Hill has been suggested with one version of the scheme.  Alternatively, a pedestrian bridge from near the bottom of Canada Road over Chichester Road and then over the A284 to Park Place/ Mount Pleasant, would facilitate communication in the town and make it safer for children to walk to and from the schools in London Road and Jarvis Road.

The Arundel Alternative supports an integrated transport approach

The Arundel Alternative and any Ford roundabout schemes should be implemented  alongside further measures. These include walking and cycling links to Ford station, planned West Coastway rail improvements and major upgrades to bus services to Worthing, Littlehampton and Chichester. Together, these transport improvements benefit ALL residents and business, not only those with access to a car.

SCATE, the South Coast Alliance for Transport and the Environment, have a better strategy than Highways England have put forward. This is set out in 'A New Transport Vision for the South Coast'. You can watch the summary video here:

Arundel group ArundelSCATE, with local and environmental partner organizations in SCATE, have asked for this Arundel Alternative (formerly 'New Purple') solution to replace the over-costly options proposed by Highways England. .

The Climate Crisis
The UK parliament has declared a climate and ecological emergency. Major new roads increase carbon emissions.

The Ecological Crisis
A dual carriageway would sever habitats and push wildlife species towards local extinction.

Flood risk
A major road scheme across the Arun Valley would increase flood risk.

Induced Traffic
‘Typically new roads lead to new journeys, filling up the additional space’ (National Infrastructure Commission). 
        Increased traffic from a 70mph, dual carriageway scheme at Arundel would increase delays at Fontwell, Worthing and Chichester.
        The Arundel Alternative would allow traffic to flow without adding to congestion.

Keep Carbon Stored
We cannot afford to lose existing carbon stores like woodland and wetlands by destroying them with new roads.

Protect the Visitor Economy
Popular walks, views, wildlife and tourist businesses would be severely damaged by Highways England’s proposed dual carriageway options.

Economic and Planning Constraints 
The Arundel Alternative is the most likely solution to be affordable economically, and to be acceptable to the Planning Inspectorate because it is less damaging.

Policy
The Arundel Alternative should be part of a low-emission, co-ordinated transport plan which would benefit everybody, including public transport, walking and cycling.

The photos above are:  Top: View to Binsted Church from Scotland Lane; Middle:  Boating on the Arun, south of Arundel; Bottom: View from Tortington to Arundel.